All Ireland Basketball Champions:
The Second Year Girls began their League Campaign in January 2019. The Girls trained hard, all year, both at school and club level dedicating many a lunchtime and Tuesday evening, after school, to putting in the hard work. The majority of the team also trained consistently with the Baltinglass Bulldogs with Club matches regularly at weekends. The team excelled in every way this year, winning all their League matches very comfortably defeating our regular rivals of St. Leo’s College, Athy Community College and Ardscoil Na Trionóide. They beat St. Kevins, Dunlavin in the quarter final and faced St. Joseph’s Rockfortbridge in the semi-final which they won comfortably. In the Midland League Final, they faced Mountrath Community School, who posed no problems to our girls, who went on to retain their title of Midland League C Champions from last year. With the added bonus of the playoffs being held in their own school, the girls went one step further than last year by winning all of their three matches, against St Marys Dundalk, St Joseph’s Charlestown and Abbey Community School, Roscommon. The third and final match was the decider and was played into extra time. The girls won by one point 35-34, beating the team that denied them last year in Roscommon. This was one of the most thrilling basketball matches witnessed in Scoil Chonglais with students, staff and parents supporting from the side-line.
The prize for winning all three matches at the playoffs was a place in the All Ireland Semi-Finals and a chance to play in the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght. Both the semi and the final were held the same day on April 28rd 2019. The second year girls held their nerve to win their semi-final versus St Louis Carrickmacross by 36 points to 30 and so face Sacred Heart Clonakility in the final. This was a close encounter. However, the second year girls showed their brilliant team work and determination again to win and be crowned All Ireland Champions much to everyone's delight.
Account written by Grace Morrissey PE teacher and Coach.